"Recite the mercenary creed."

"I will always place the payday first.

Retreat is an acceptable tactic.

I will never attack a large group.

I will never leave a fallen monster core."

"Says here on your application that you're a [Bard]?"

"Yes sir."

"Application denied."

"But why?"

"You know how hard it is to run away while someone is singing? Makes hiding impossible. And how are you supposed to sneakily attack one or two at a time while you're strumming a lyre? Also, the survivor payments are based on number of kids. There ain't a single merc troop that can afford to hire [Bard]'s."

--Exercise Example #78, Interview Practice. From, "The Lyre and You: A Bardic Guide to Employment." AC 1527

I jolt back to awareness as motes of mana slowly fade away. I examine my new form, eyes swiveling on my stalks as I assess myself. Where before I was a light yellow color, almost translucent, my arms and legs are now light blue, darkening to an almost brownish red at the end of my claws. My carapace is almost completely black, shimmering slightly with a sprinkling of lighter colors. Where before I was tiny, a mere two inches in diameter, now I am huge! My carapace is probably ten inches wide. I snap my claws and hear a satisfying *crack*.

Satisfied with my new form, I bring up my status. I want to make sure everything is good before exploring my location.

"Status."

Character Screen Name: Sir Crabby McCrabbington I Age: 8 Months Level: 1 Class: Apprentice of the Coast Race: Elemental Crab Titles:

Triumvirate Unveiled, Kiss from a Crab, Luck of the Crab, Lore Contributer II

Health: 50/50 H-Regen: 0.05/sec Mana: 150/150 M-Regen: 0.17/sec Stamina: 120/120 S-Regen: 0.12/sec Basic Stats Strength: 2 Wisdom: 17 Vitality: 5 Intelligence: 15 Dexterity: 7 Charisma: 14 More...

Everything appears to be fine. No creepy messed up text or anything! I do some mental math and determine that the percent bonuses from my two titles must be additive. That is, they offer a total of 6% bonus to WIS, INT & CHA, rounded to the nearest whole number. Which is why there is no difference to my STR, VIT, or DEX as 1% of those base values aren't enough to elicit a change. It also appears that the [INT-UP] & [WIS-UP] features of the racial evolution was a flat +3 to those stats, so that's nice.

I take a look at Mana Manipulation & Mana Sense, as the evolution mentioned something about "Mastery." I spot the change immediately.

Skill: Mana Manipulation II Lvl: 1 Effects: Move mana, relative to skill level.

Current Bonus: 4% faster/accurate shaping

Static Bonus: 50% faster train speed

Cost: None (Passive) Lore: "Wield the might Arcane"- Archmage Vendros Skill: Mana Sense I Lvl: 1 Effects: Feel the mana around you. Current Bonus: .4% greater clarity

Static Bonus: 50% faster train speed Cost: None (Passive) Lore: "Begin your path to power." - Mage Guild

Apparently it added a "Static Bonus," to allow me to train 50% faster. Very exciting! Closing all my screens, I turn to my surroundings.

I'm still in the small cave from before. The size used to be adequate, though now I'm starting to feel a bit cramped. The walls are a brackish volcanic rock, crumbling into the sand which comprises the floor. The only light comes from a small pool which I walk over to. Leaning forward, I look into the water and can make out a light haze at the bottom. It appears to be a well, a shaft to somewhere else. I can't make out the fine details at the bottom, but it seems to be safe. I gingerly lower a claw into the water. It's just warm sea water, much like I'd find on any beach.

Shrugging, I [Coast] into the water and begin to sink to the bottom. As I'm falling, something keeps nagging at me. I continually scan the walls and sides of the small shaft but the only thing I can see is clear stone, no sign of movement. As the light grows brighter below, I figure it out. I concentrate on [Sense Mana] and details bloom before me. The surrounding rock almost radiates with power. Power that grows stronger the further I fall. My eyes follow the lines of mana below. What I thought was a light isn't a light at all. It's a swirling vortex that's drawing me in.

I turn upwards, claws facing the top of the well. My new evolution must be adapted for swimming, because only now do I realize I have a small pair of paddles. I scramble, employing my swimmerets as I unsuccessfully try to escape the swirling locus of mana. Everything I have is brought to bear, my stamina and magic bottoming out as I employ [Coast] and [Water Manipulation] as best I can.

My efforts are in vain.

As my desperation turns into despair a blinding light engulfs my vision. My struggling figure disappears as I enter the whirlpool below. The last thing I see before my vision fades is a [System] message. It reads:

**************************************

Adventurer!

Welcome to the Deepwater [Dungeon]!

**************************************

***

***

***

Meanwhile, in the divine realm:

Aethir tiredly sighed as he worked to refine the [System]. There was a localized error somewhere in the Milky Way quadrant. Earth inhabitants kept on transmigrating to other worlds and created a great deal of work. At least they stay localized to their galaxy, he mused. Otherwise he'd have to consider [Annihilating] their planet.

As he bent his [Thought-Streams] to the task, a gentle chime sounded in the void. He exerted a twist of will and a portal opened to reveal Toriana. She wore that ludicrous crab form and had what appeared to be a bag of mortal food in her claws.

"Sooooooo..." she said coyly. "Crabby and chill?"

"I have no idea what that means. And at this point, I don't want to know." he replied. As he prepared to send her away, a harsh knock sounded.

Sighing, he opened another portal to reveal Lira. She wore that ridiculous crab shape as well. A pitcher of some kind of drink hovered on a plane of ice next to her. Strangling his aggravation he said, "Yes? Can I help you?"

With a voice reminiscent of glaciers breaking she responded, "I was invited to the costume party. Was I misinformed?"

Aethir turned the full force of his glare onto Toriana. She beamed at him and said,

"Comeon! You have the best scry apparatus in the multiverse! Get out of that boring fractal body and watch the show with us."

For an eternity of thought Aethir considered just banning them from his domain... But then he sighed. He was tired. He could use a break. Slipping into the physique of an old blue crab, he used [Physical Reality] to provide them with a place to sit. A familiar cave appeared, a copy of the [Mortal-Divine Interface] used in Crabby's trial. A few taps on some seashells and a giant screen materialized. It showed Crabby's vain struggle to escape the [Dungeon] entrance.

"Here! Have some popcorn!" Toriana says.

Aethir waved a claw in dismissal. Toriana followed up with, "I also have chocolate!" Hesitating, he decided to try one, otherwise he knew she wouldn't stop bugging him. Pleasantly surprised, he kept his face stoic. No good would come from encouraging her.

Toriana waved a claw and a giant red couch materialized. As the gods settled in, Lira offered drinks. Not wanting to be a rude host, he accepted. As he tried a glass Toriana said, "What is this?"

"Styx Slushie," she said. "I make them myself."

"Ah," Aethir politely responded. "That would explain the undertones of condemned souls."

Lira frigidly smiled at his perceived compliment. Watching Crabby regain consciousness she said, "So? What are the odds now?"

Aethir waved a claw in dismissal.

"They've gone from impossible to improbable. Without our intervention, he would have woken up and been unable to evolve. He was a mundane ghost crab before; they can hold their breath but he would have drowned in the dungeon."

"At least he has a chance now," Toriana responded.

"A slim chance," Aethir muttered.

Comfortable silence fell among the Aspects as they shared food and drinks. Unbeknownst to gods and men they watched Sir Crabby McCrabbington I, Apprentice of the Coast and High Crab of the Realm start his new adventure.